Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 14 June 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 14 June, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

WEDNESDAY 14th JUNE

1
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the impact on British confectionery manufacturing of the European Commission's decision to suspend the payment of refunds payable on the export of non-Annex One products.

(124769)

2
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of recent research on the effect on the nervous system of exposure to organophosphates.

(126036)

3
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the number and nature is of the responses he has received as a result of his paper of 8th June on Review of Separation Distances for GM Crops; and if he will place copies of the responses in the Library.

(126087)

4
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which action his Department has taken to advise purchasers of analogue televisions that the televisions will cease to function as soon as the analogue signal is withdrawn.

(125919)

5
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn and St. Pancras):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 24th May, Official Report, column 560W, on English Heritage, if he will place in the Library the information requested, covering the period from 1990 to 1996, as soon as the information is readily collatable.

(124404)

6
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn and St. Pancras):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 24th May, Official Report, column 560W, on English Heritage, if he will place in the Library similar information to that requested in the original question relating to the English Heritage's advisory committees and panels for each year from 1990.

(124457)

7
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what bids he has received to site biotechnology industry in the Dome following its sale.

(126044)

8
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is his estimate of the number of people employed full time as professional musicians working for orchestras in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(126076)

9
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of homes in (a) Wales, (b) England and (c) Scotland receive digital television; and what his target is for increasing these figures.

(126074)

10
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will review the legislation which controls independent television in the UK with the aim of ensuring that adequate safeguards exist to protect local programme generation and local management of services.

(126075)

11
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many reservists are currently serving with regular forces as mobilised soldiers; and in each of the last five years what was the total number of (a) regular forces, (b) reservists and (c) reservists serving with regular forces as mobilised soldiers.

(126202)

12
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the conditions that apply to senior officials from his Department applying to join private sector companies.

(126021)

13
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) senior Ministry of Defence officials and (b) officials from his Department's procurement organisation have joined private sector companies in the last five years.

(126020)

14
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons Feuchter was awarded the contract to supply the Mark II Combat glove.

(126209)

15
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on former personnel of the Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Clothing and Textile Agency joining commercial organisations with which they had dealings as civil servants.

(126208)

16
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received about the quality and fit of the Mark II Combat glove.

(126211)

17
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what development work is currently being carried out by the Defence Clothing and Textile Agency on new glove designs for the armed forces.

(126212)

18
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the value of the contract to supply the armed forces with the Mark II Combat glove; how many pairs have been ordered; and from which companies.

(126215)

19
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which companies, and from which countries, submitted bids for the contract for the Mark II Combat glove.

(126216)

20
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what account his Department takes of security of supply considerations when deciding to acquire clothing and textiles from foreign suppliers.

(126214)

21
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department makes of the past record and experience of clothing and textile manufacturers in competition for clothing contracts; and if he will make a statement.

(126210)

22
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what visits personnel from his Department made to foreign factories and manufacturing outlets during the process of awarding contracts for the Mark II Combat glove.

(126213)

23
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide a schedule of dates when orders for new warships for the Royal Navy will be placed.

(126192)

24
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the most recent date on which a new warship was ordered for the Royal Navy.

(126191)

25
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect upon warship building yards of no new orders having been placed in the past three years.

(126190)

26
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 5th June, Official Report, column 15W, concerning the mission statement of the Army in Northern Ireland, what his definition is of the normality to be restored; and on how many occasions the mission objective has been reviewed since the Belfast Agreement.

(126221)

27
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the name and rank were of the person who arranged the meeting on 30th July 1974 in the Republic of Ireland described in his Answer of 19th July 1999, Official Report, column 426W; and what were the name, rank and unit of each person who accompanied Major Peter Maynard.

(126223)

28
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the use of informants by military intelligence officers operating in Northern Ireland is governed by Home Office guidelines.

(126222)

29
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many naval procurement contacts for military vessels were made with Scottish yards in each of the last 10 years.

(125573)

30
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were employed by his Department in Scotland in (a) 1979, (b) 1989, (c) 1994 and (d) 1999, broken down into (i) civilian and (ii) military personnel and including territorial forces.

(125574)

31
N   Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the airworthiness directives his Department has issued relating to BAe 146 aircraft operated by No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron of the RAF about (a) engine icing and (b) the ingestion of fumes from the engines into the cabin.

(125987)

32
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if the (a) Royal Academy of Music, (b) Royal College of Music, (c) Trinity College of Music, (d) Royal Northern College of Music, (e) Birmingham Conservatoire, (f) Guildhall School of Music and Drama and (g) Leeds College of Music has its own concert hall.

(126034)

33
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much capital investment the (a) Royal Academy of Music, (b) Royal College of Music, (c) Trinity College of Music, (d) Royal Northern College of Music, (e) Birmingham Conservatoire, (f) Guildhall School of Music and Drama and (g) Leeds College of Music has received in each of the last five years for which information is available.

(126050)

34
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the resource implications of the incorporation of health and safety issues into the National Curriculum; and if he will make a statement on developments on this matter.

(125714)

35
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many applications he has received under the Computers for Teachers scheme from schools in Bury North; and how many refund payments have been made within one month of the submission of the application.

(124770)

36
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many applications he has received under the Computers for Teachers scheme; how many refund payments have been made within one month of the application; how many refund payments are still pending; and what is the current average length of time for making refund payments.

(124771)

37
N   Mr Roger Casale (Wimbledon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to monitor the effectiveness of cross-departmental initiatives aimed at neighbourhood renewal and urban regeneration.

(124272)

38
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many organisations have expressed interest in being included on the list of interested parties to bid for the NATS public-private partnership.

(125936)

39
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the cost of part-privatising NATS.

(125935)

40
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Crewe and Nantwich of 18th January, Official Report, column 358W, concerning NATS, if he has produced (a) the list of properties and (b) the valuation; and when he plans to publish this information.

(125937)

41
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress is being made on the co-ordination of Government initiatives at a regional and local level.

(124274)

42
N   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reasons copies of the draft regional planning guidance for the South East were not available in public libraries until Thursday 18th May; if he will extend the deadline for replies to the consultation; and if he will make a statement.

(125964)

43
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to evaluate new approaches to allocating social housing, as proposed in the Housing Green Paper; and if he will make a statement.

(126013)

44
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent guidance he has given to local authorities on dealing with categories of applicants who have not traditionally applied for local authority accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

(126017)

45
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the definition of homelessness contained in the Housing Act 1996 will be used in future housing legislation; and if he will make a statement.

(126016)

46
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will take steps to enable the National Assembly for Wales to establish passenger transport authorities under the terms of the Transport Bill.

(125471)

47
   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with (a) Childline, (b) the NSPCC and (c) Barnado's about the repeal of section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

(126166)

48
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will amend the road traffic regulations to enable Class 3 Vehicles to use bus lanes; and if he will make a statement.

(126187)

49
N   Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the airworthiness directives the Civil Aviation Authority has issued to British airlines relating to BAe 146 aircraft in their service about (a) engine icing and (b) the ingestion of fumes from the engines into the cabin.

(125988)

50
N   Dr David Clark (South Shields):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to publish the next Inquiry into Retail; and to which years' statistics it will relate.

(125571)

51
N   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for how long the old Department of the Environment building in Marsham Street has lain empty; and if he will make a statement.

(124268)

52
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he proposes to publish his proposals for bringing taxation of partnerships into line with company taxation.

(126048)

53
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking on including a question concerning religious identity in the 2001 Census.

(126011)

54
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many representations he has received from (a) honourable Members and (b) others concerning the inclusion of a question in the 2001 Census concerning religious identity.

(126012)

55
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking on human rights in Saudi Arabia following the Amnesty International Report, Saudi Arabia: A Justice System Without Justice; and if he will make a statement.

(126080)

56
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that there is adequate Arab representation within the UNMOVIC inspection teams.

(125142)

57
N   Mr Terry Davis (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to refer breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights by the Russian Federation in Chechnya to the European Court of Human Rights under Article 33 of the Convention; and if he will make a statement.

(125990)

58
N   Mr Terry Davis (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if it is the Government's policy to support the proposed suspension of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe in accordance with Recommendation 1456 (2000) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

(125991)

59
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement as to the circumstances in which the proposed compensation package for slave labour victims of the Nazis to be met by the German Government has been proposed to be reduced in respect of claimants in the rest-of-the-world group, including United Kingdom residents.

(126032)

60
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received (a) from and (b) on behalf of slave labour victims of the Nazis, in respect of the German compensation fund.

(126030)

61
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the original estimate of compensation levels for Nazi slave labour victims under the German compensation scheme (a) in total and (b) in respect of each category of case; and what is the current estimate under the revised proposals put forward by the German Government as to (a) and (b).

(126033)

62
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the German Goverment concerning the regulations over the compensation scheme for slave labour victims of the Nazi regime.

(126029)

63
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made as to the number of rest-of-the-world claimants resident in the United Kingdom, who are likely to qualify for compensation from the German fund for slave labour victims of the Nazis.

(126031)

64
   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he proposes to introduce legislation to ratify the Treaty signed in Rome on the International Criminal Court.

(126220)

65
   Alice Mahon (Halifax):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Kosovan Albanians have been referred to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia for atrocities committed against Serbs and other non-Albanian people in Kosovo.

(126219)

66
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the North of London Breast Screening Unit based at Edgware Community Hospital; and what proposals he has arising out of that assessment.

(126161)

67
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date and at what location a mobile breast screening unit last operated in Brent.

(126082)

68
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with Barnet Health Authority about participating with other health authorities in North West London in the provision of an integrated service for breast screening, assessment and surgery.

(126162)

69
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what bids he has received from Brent and Harrow Health Authority for funding from the New Opportunities Fund to provide additional mobile breast screening units.

(126160)

70
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what delays there have been in (a) assessing women who have been found to have abnormal mammograms and (b) reporting results to such women in the Brent and Harrow Health Area in the past year.

(126163)

71
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date and at what location a mobile breast screening unit last made a visit in the Brent and Harrow Health Authority Area.

(126081)

72
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to implement a London-wide strategy for clinical waste disposal.

(126083)

73
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the spending (a) in the current financial year, (b) committed and (c) projected on breast screening, assessment and surgery of (i) Brent and Harrow Health Authority, (ii) Barnet Health Authority, (iii) Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Authority, (iv) Hillingdon Health Authority, (v) Camden and Islington Health Authority and (vi) Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority.

(126159)

74
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has to provide an integated service for breast screening assessment and surgery for women in (a) the North West London area and (b) the Brent and Harrow Health Authority area; and what will be the relationship of the services for these areas to (i) UCL Hospital, (ii) the North Central London area, (iii) the South Hertfordshire area and (iv) Northwick Park Hospital.

(126167)

75
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mobile breast screening units serve the Brent and Harrow Health Authority area; how many of these are fully functioning; and how many of the fully-functioning mobile breast screening units serving that area have been mobile in the year 2000 to date.

(126164)

76
   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of women (a) nationally and (b) in the Brent and Harrow Health Authority Area receive regular screening within the time periods recommended by his Department for the different age groups.

(126165)

77
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of recent evidence on the correlation between rates of lung cancer and long-term exposure to radon gas.

(126042)

78
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital patients acquired infections whilst in hospital in 1999; and what were the outcomes.

(126193)

79
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to meet Commissioner Byrne regarding the future basis of meat inspection.

[R] (126195)

80
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of death arising from hospital infection were recorded in 1999; and what estimate he has made of the number of deaths amongst patients discharged from hospital caused by infection acquired whilst in hospital in the same period.

(126188)

81
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which EU countries charge for meat inspection on a headage basis.

[R] (126197)

82
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU countries regarding the future basis of meat inspection.

[R] (126194)

83
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of sickness resulting from the consumption of fresh meat emanating from British abattoirs were recorded in 1999.

(126189)

84
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has made to the European Commission regarding the future basis of meat inspection.

[R] (126196)

85
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he gives to health trusts on the confidentiality of patient records under the Data Protection Act 1998.

(126085)

86
   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many out-patient appointments were (a) missed by patients and (b) cancelled by hospitals in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(126090)

87
   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the annual cost was to the NHS of out-patients failing to keep appointments in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(126089)

88
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to implement hydrolysised DNA assay testing for cervical cancer screening; and if he will make a statement.

(125965)

89
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has received from the Advisory Committee on Cervical Cancer Screening on the effectiveness of hydrolysised DNA assay testing.

(125966)

90
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of Kosovan refugees who have returned home from the UK in the last 12 months have gone back to (a) their own homes and (b) temporary accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

(126079)

91
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the medical standards required to join the Metropolitan Police were last reviewed; and what plans there are to update them.

(126200)

92
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants to join the Metropolitan Police have been rejected on medical grounds in each of the last five years.

(126199)

93
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Metropolitan Police Service's programme of research into drug-assisted sexual assault, with particular reference to the classification of gammahydroxybutyrate.

(126014)

94
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he takes to ensure that alleged cases of institutional child abuse are thoroughly investigated.

(125750)

95
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress he is making in providing support for people on their release from prison following wrongful conviction.

(126168)

96
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people (a) have voluntarily contacted the police, (b) the police have contacted and (c) the police estimate they will wish to contact in connection with the Wiltshire Constabulary enquiry into the death of Ronald Maddison.

(125989)

97
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will direct that the relevant local authorities and regional assemblies be given the opportunity to be involved in all discussions between the National Asylum Support Service and the private agencies and landlords in the allocation of asylum seekers to different localities.

(125278)

98
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to what extent the size of the local Islamic community and the availability of support workers in the education and social services departments and voluntary agencies is taken into account by the National Asylum Support Service in the allocation of asylum seekers to local authorities.

(125279)

99
   Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent reports he has received from police forces about their effectiveness in dealing with the problems caused by travellers.

(126203)

100
N   Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money has been made available for spending under the Government's policy for community involvement by residents' and community groups since May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(124261)

101
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will review the legislation governing how long after a road accident a private prosecution can be made; and if he will make a statement on the present limitation.

(126186)

102
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will give details of the Brazilian Government's land reform initiatives supported by her Department since 1997.

(126019)

103
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if the use of informants by RUC officers is governed by Home Office guidelines.

(126235)

104
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will make it the Government's policy that in each instance where the majority of the House is in favour of legislation and where the Government is neutral on the issue in question, it will put forward appropriate legislation, provide time for debate and permit a free vote on specific issues.

(126084)

105
   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):    To ask the Prime Minister, when he expects to publish the Government's third annual report.

(126217)

106
N   Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset):    To ask the Prime Minister, what the annual cost is of the Performance and Innovation Unit; and what action the Government is taking to implement its reports.

(124285)

107
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will hold discussions with the Government of Bulgaria about the lifting of sanctions against Serbia.

(124405)

108
N   Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 14th June.

(125403)

109
N   Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the cost of special advisers, including salary, transport and other costs, employed by his Department in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 1999.

(125572)

110
N   Mr David Amess (Southend West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what recent representations he has received on his document, Listening to Older People.

(124281)

111
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, on what date Mr Ridler of Ferndown in the Christchurch constituency will be paid the additional pension to which he has been entitled since his retirement; and what additional interest and compensation will be payable.

(125916)

112
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many manual calculations of entitlements to additional pension were carried out in each of the last three months.

(125918)

113
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people who have reached pensionable age within the last two years have not yet been paid their full entitlement of additional pension.

(125915)

114
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people are currently employed in carrying out manual calculations of the entitlements to additional pension of those who have already retired.

(125917)

115
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for what reasons 24th September was chosen as the cut-off for the winter allowance for 2000-01.

(126045)

116
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what were the average annual domestic bills for (a) electricity and (b) gas in the Yorkshire region for each of the last three years broken down by (i) direct debit, (ii) standard quarterly credit and (iii) pre-payment meter payment methods.

(126078)

117
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he plans to refer the proposed merger between BA and KLM to the competition authorities.

(126218)

118
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the base level is against which his Department's public service target for 2002 of increasing the productivity and profitability of small and medium-sized enterprises assisted by the Small Business Service is to be measured.

(125921)

119
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many successful high growth business start-ups there were in each of the last four years.

(125922)

120
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many companies have been spun out by universities in each of the past four years.

(125910)

121
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action his Department is taking to achieve its key priority for 2000-01 of promoting a culture of enterprise in the European Union.

(125912)

122
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement about the National Campaign for Enterprise.

(125914)

123
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the criteria are for evaluating his Department's performance against its public service agreement target for 2002 of improving the overall international ranking of the science and engineering base in terms of quality relevance and cost-effectiveness.

(125920)

124
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the overall international ranking has been of the United Kingdom's science and engineering base in terms of quality, relevance and cost-effectiveness in each of the last four years.

(125923)

125
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the criteria are for evaluating his Department's performance against its public service agreement target for 2002 of making the United Kingdom the best place in the world to trade electronically.

(125924)

126
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what actions his Department is taking to achieve its key priority for 2000-01 of reducing the burden of regulation on small businesses; and what the critera are for evaluating success.

(125911)

127
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will publish the criteria which are being used to judge the achievement of his Department's key priority for 2000-01 to operate efficient and effective systems for export licensing.

(125913)

128
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how he defines the difference between responsible risk takers and culpable bankrupts for the purpose of implementing the recommendations of the Insolvency Working Party; and if he will estimate the proportion of each.

(126035)

129
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the assets of an insolvent business will be eligible for re-use by its former management trading on the basis of a limited liability partnership.

(126037)

130
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, by what means persons reported to the Insolvency Agency by insolvency practitioners as unfit will be prevented from participating in limited liability partnerships.

(126046)

131
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, by what means he will prevent individuals under the individual voluntary arrangements as envisaged in his White Paper, Bankruptcy: A Fresh Start, from being allowed to become partners in limited liability partnerships.

(126039)

132
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if bankrupts under restriction orders as proposed in his White Paper on bankruptcy will be able to become partners in limited liability partnerships.

(126038)

133
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the DTI hotline for reporting rogue directors is still operating; how many rogue directors have been reported on it since it was established; and what action has been taken and in how many cases as a result of reports received.

(126047)

134
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what basis he estimates that seven to 12 per cent. of bankrupts are culpable; and what relationship these percentages have to the findings of the Insolvency Service's Study of Business Failures in January and February 1999.

(126040)

135
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if Company Voluntary Arrangements as provided for in his Insolvency Bill will apply to limited liability partnerships; and what measures he proposes to stop companies operating under a Company Voluntary Arrangements transferring to limited liability partnership status.

(126041)

136
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent studies he has undertaken relating to the extension of small and medium-scale wind power schemes in the UK; and if he will make a statement about the Government's strategy to secure the maximum benefit from such electricity generation schemes.

(126077)

137
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his Answer of 25th May, Official Report, column 633W, on opinion research, what steps have been taken to ensure that his Department makes such results publicly available as required by paragraph 19 of the Cabinet Office May 1999 Guidelines on Research into Public Attitudes and Opinions.

(125992)

138
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his Answer of 5th June, Official Report, columns 46-47W, on water services, on what date his Department was notified of the decision of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Welsh Water plc, held on 21st March 1996, which resolved to remove the voting share limitation clause in the Company's articles of association.

(126015)

139
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) pensioners and (b) non-pensioner households spend more than 10 per cent. of their total expenditure on council tax.

[Transferred] (125925)

140
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of recent evidence from the USA on the correlation between chemical cocktails and Gulf War Syndrome.

[Transferred] (126043)

141
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what advice he has given to the Data Protection Commissioner about the confidentiality of medical patient records under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

[Transferred] (126086)

142
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish the Treasury rules on economic appraisal of projects as they apply to the Further Education Funding Council's capital programme.

[Transferred] (126049)

143
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the total cost to the public departments of dealing with asylum seekers in 2000-01; and what was the total cost in 1999-2000.

[Transferred] (126088)

144
   Mr Kerry Pollard (St. Albans):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent measures he has taken to increase the ability of small businesses in the United Kingdom to trade competitively in European markets.

[Transferred] (126018)

145
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children have died while in children's homes in each decade since 1970.

[Transferred] (126198)

146
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the system of landing slot allocations at major UK airports.

[Transferred] (126201)